The siege of Malta during World War 2 is one of the great epics of aerial warfare. In 1942, it was described alternately as both a 'fighter pilot's paradise' and 'the most bombed place on earth'. During the peak of the Axis efforts against Malta, it suffered 154 consecutive days and nights of bombing, 100 nights more that London suffered during the Blitz. The destruction of Axis convoys by Malta-based aircraft proved to be one of the decisive factors in the defeat of Rommel's forces in North Africa. This vital position would have been lost if it had not been for the successful defence of the island by a handful of greatly outnumbered Royal Air Force fighter squadrons. In the brutal and unforgiving air war over Malta only the very best fighter pilots succeeded, and all too often that was no guarantee of living another day. This book details the heroic story of the Spitfire Aces based on Malta. Drawn from an international team of Australians, British, Canadians, New Zealanders, Rhodesians and South Africans these pilots fought against extreme deprivation, physical hardships and overwhelming odds in one of the most crucial and decisive air battles of World War II.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Spits in Defense of Malta!:
Mention of Malta Spitfires invariably brings to mind George Beurling, the RAF's master of deflection shooting. Yet Beurling was one of several hundred Spit pilots who defended that vital island from Axis invasion in 1942. Over three dozen pilots made ace over Malta in 1942 and 1943, Beurling topping the list with 27 kills. Steve Nichols tells the story of those valiant pilots in MALTA SPITFIRE ACES, #83 in Osprey's 'Aircraft of the Aces' series. First committed to action over Malta in February 1942,... more info
